Thesiger's Journeys in Arabia - Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 1949

2004_130_22916_1-OJourney dates: May 2 – May 26, 1949

After a season travelling in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, Wilfred Thesiger flew to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in the late spring of 1949. In Riyadh, Thesiger visited St. John Philby and was invited to an audience with King Abdul Aziz Al Saud (also known as Ibn Saud). In Kuwait, Thesiger stayed with friends in the city, and travelled into the desert to visit Rashid Bedouin at local wells. During his time in the city, Thesiger often visited the harbour, where he took pictures of dhows beached along the shore, and an incredible series of following Kuwaiti water sellers unloading imported water from sailing ships.

Locations: Kuwait City, Riyadh, Al Muraba Palace

Named Individuals: None

Represented Cultural Groups: Rashid Bedouin

Reference:

Wilfred Thesiger, 1949. Personal Letters (Collection of Eton College Library).

Images: